Improvement in needle and shuttle threaders and knives



1,. SLACK.

Needle and Shuttle T'hreaders and Knives.

VN0. MBJZ. Patented Dct. 14,873.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN SLAOK, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN NEEDLE AND SHUTTLE THREADERS AND KNIVES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 143,726, dated October14, 1873 application filed June 5,1873.`

To all whom t may concern.'

Beit known that I, JOHN SLACK, residing at Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York, a subject under the. crown of GreatBritain, have invented an 4Improved Needle and Shuttle Threader andKnife combined, of which the following is a specification:

This invention has for its object to combine into a single instrumentseveral of the more important implements which are employed in themanipulation and operation of a sewingmachine. It combines a needlethreader, a

disentangler, a shuttle-lifter, and a knife. The

invention consistsin a peculiarly-shaped blade, curved at itstermination, and running out into a hook. This blade is attached to asuitable handle, which may also be provided with a spring clasp forretaining the thread while threading the needle. Either the blade or theclasp, or both, may be sharpened at either or both of their sides, sothat they may be used as knives. With the hook the thread may be easilydisentangled, and by the same means the shuttle lifted out of its place,and the needle as well as the shuttle threaded.

Figure l in the drawing is a side view of my improved implement, showingit combined with the spring-clasp. Fig. 2 is a side view of amodification of the same. Fig. 3 is a section through the line c c ofthe blade of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a section through the line 7c k of theblade of Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thegures.

The letter A represents-the handle of my instrument. B is the blade,which is bent into a hook, a, as shown in Fig. 1.

This instrument is specially adapted for use in sewing-machines notprovided with a shuttle, it being then employed to disentangle thethread, or to thread the hook or needle, as well as to serve as a knifefor cutting the thread, 85o.

. The modification of my instrument represented in Fig. 2,-is intendedto be employed in a sewing-machine provided with a shuttle.

The blade B is then curved so that it may be entered beneath the shuttleto lift it out of its place, while the hook a serves for the same A

